The August 28, 2013 issue of the New York Times, featured an article about a firm in China that constructed a 30-story hotel in two days. Yes, two days. The company, The Broad Group, has plans to erect the world tallest building, 202 floors, in just four months. They primarily accomplish this feat by using prefab modules. While there are significant concerns about the scope and safety of these projects, The Broad Group has helped change the world of customer expectations in one fell swoop.

There will probably never be a way that a company can create a contact center from inception and have it fully functional the following day. It takes planning, hiring the right people, determining the most appropriate technology, and training. But, speed, like the automobile, airplane, Internet and iPhone is the next now innovation.

Companies can no longer thrive by solely differentiating themselves by the standard barriers of price, better quality, flexible return policies, etc. If your customers are living in a universe where a structure can be completed almost instantly, they will no longer tolerate product shortages, delays in delivery, and email inquiries that take up to two weeks to respond. I can hear it now; consumers will be saying: “What do you mean that it’s going to take a week to research my issue? During that time in China, an entire city can be built.”

At your company’s next off-site team-building and strategy session, why don’t you ask your staff to come up with ways to increase delivery and response times for your customers. If you don’t, your company will certainly be vulnerable to the next competitor who not only builds a better mousetrap but one that can catch the mouse faster, too.